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Black-eyed peas are commonly served for New Years as they are said to bring luck and I hardly need an excuse to eat more beans! Hoppin' John is a southern rice and beans dish that uses black-eyed peas which makes it perfect for New Years cooking. The black-eyed peas are slowly simmered with a ham hock or bacon until the get nice and creamy and they absorb all of that amazing smokey flavour. After the beans are done simmering the meat from the ham hock can be pulled from the bone and shredded to make the Hoppin' John a bit heartier. The recipe for Hoppin' John that I like to use is a slightly modified version of Emeril Lagasse's and it is pretty easy to make though it does require some time to properly bring out all of the flavours. Other than the fat in the meat this dish is pretty healthy and I like to serve it on top of steamed brown rice and to top it with steamed collard greens which are also said to be lucky for the new year.

Happy New Year!

Hoppin' John

Black-eyed peas simmered with a smoky ham hock until creamy and tender and full of flavour!

Directions

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add the onions, celery and pepper and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the peas, broth, ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce the temperature and simmer until the black-eyed peas are creamy and tender, about 60 minutes, adding more broth if required.

Remove the ham hock and shred the pork and mix it into the black eyed peas.

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About Me

I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.